I Can Jump Puddles
Encyclopedia
I Can Jump Puddles is a 1981 Australian television mini-series based on the 1955 autobiographical series of the same name by author Alan Marshall. Adapted for television by screenwriters Cliff Green and Roger Simpson, the series starred Lewis Fitz-Gerald
, Adam Garnett, Tony Barry, Julie Hamilton, Ann Henderson, Lesley Baker
, Olivia Brown
, Debra Lawrance
and Darren MacDonald
.
Several prominent television actors also had supporting roles including Lisa Aldenhoven
(The Young Doctors
), Kaarin Fairfax
(Bed of Roses
), Maurie Fields
(Skyways), Terry Gill
(Bluey), Reg Gorman
(Fergus McPhail
), Matthew King (Dogstar
) , Julie Nihill
(Blue Heelers
), Maureen Edwards
and Dennis Miller
(A Country Practice
) and Jason Donovan
and Cliff Ellen
(Neighbours
).
A large part of supporting and minor roles also featured cameo appearances by cast members of Prisoner
such as Esme Melville
(Beryl Hudson
), Peter Curtin
(Ian Mahoney
), Ian Smith
(Ted Douglas
), Christine Amor
(Jean Vernon
), Fiona Spence
(Vera Bennett
), Edward Hepple
(Sid Humphrey
), Sigrid Thornton
(Roslyn Coulson
), Leila Hayes
(Jeannie Baxter
), Sandy Gore
(Kay White
), Mary Ward
(Mum Brooks
), Anne Phelan
(Myra Desmond
). Future cast members included Billie Hammerberg
(May Collins
) and Pepe Trevor
(Lexie Patterson
).
during the turn of the century. Contracting polio soon after attending school, the story retells the obstacles he faced as a child in trying to overcome his disability. As an adult, he later encounters prejudice from his debilitating disease while looking for work in Melbourne
.
by Roadshow Home Entertainment in August 2005.
for Best Performance by a Juvenile in 1981.
Lewis Fitz-Gerald
Lewis Fitz-Gerald is an Australian actor and television director who has obtained a Masters degree in Creative Writing, majoring in Communications Studies.- As Actor :* Crownies * Home and Away...
, Adam Garnett, Tony Barry, Julie Hamilton, Ann Henderson, Lesley Baker
Lesley Baker
Lesley Baker is an Australian actress, singer, dancer and comedienne.She is best known for her roles as hulking husband basher Monica Ferguson in Prisoner and Angie Rebecchi in Neighbours.-Filmography:...
, Olivia Brown
Olivia Brown
Olivia Margarette Brown is an American actress.Brown was born in Frankfurt, Germany and raised in Livonia, Michigan, United States. Her family eventually moved to California and she is also a graduate of Santa Monica High School. She played Det. Trudy Joplin on Miami Vice and Vanessa Hargraves on...
, Debra Lawrance
Debra Lawrance
Debra Lawrance is an Australian actress best known for her role as Pippa Ross on Home and Away, which she played from 1990 to 1998. She continues to guest star to this date- her last appearance was in 2009.-Biography:...
and Darren MacDonald
Darren MacDonald
Darren McDonald is an Australian news anchor known for his work on Australia's Seven Network and New Zealand's TV3.- News reading :He was one of Australia's youngest news anchors, first presenting at age 17. He went on to read the news on 11am, and then became the first anchor of Sunrise News when...
.
Several prominent television actors also had supporting roles including Lisa Aldenhoven
Lisa Aldenhoven
Lisa Aldenhoven is an Australian actress.She remains best known for her role in the television soap opera The Young Doctors as Nurse Julie Holland. She appeared in the series from 1978 to 1981....
(The Young Doctors
The Young Doctors
The Young Doctors is an Australian early evening soap opera. The series was set in the fictional Albert Memorial hospital and primarily concerned with romances between younger members of the hospital staff, screened on the Nine Network from Monday, 8 November 1976 until Wednesday, 30 March...
), Kaarin Fairfax
Kaarin Fairfax
Kaarin Fairfax is an Australian actress who played the role of 'Dolour Darcy' in two TV miniseries The Harp in the South and Poor Man's Orange based on books of the same names by Ruth Park. She has also acted in other Australian television series throughout the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s, and...
(Bed of Roses
Bed of Roses (TV series)
Bed of Roses is an Australian comedy / drama television series which first screened on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation from 10 May 2008...
), Maurie Fields
Maurie Fields
Maurie Fields was an Australian actor, vaudeville performer and stand-up comedian. He became a well-known face on television thanks to his dramatic roles in Bellbird, The Box, Prisoner and The Flying Doctors...
(Skyways), Terry Gill
Terry Gill
Terry Gill is a British-born actor who carved a nichè in Australian television playing police officers.He was a recurring cast member in the women's prison drama Prisoner as Det. Insp. Jack Grace, a regular cast member as Sgt...
(Bluey), Reg Gorman
Reg Gorman
Reg Gorman is an Australian actor and comedian who shot to fame playing the role of Jack the barman in popular Crawfords' soap, The Sullivans. He stayed with the series for its entire six year run.-External links:...
(Fergus McPhail
Fergus McPhail
Fergus McPhail is an Australian children's comedy series that was released on Network Ten in 2004.-Plot summary:Fergus McPhail stumbles from crisis to crisis mostly of his own making. His irrationally optimistic alter-ego acts as his conscience...
), Matthew King (Dogstar
Dogstar (TV series)
Dogstar is an Australian children's animated television program produced by Media World Pictures which first screened on the Nine Network and then Disney Channel Australia. There are 26 episodes in the first series....
) , Julie Nihill
Julie Nihill
Julie Nihill is an Australian actress.-Biography:After early roles in 1980s soap operas such as The Young Doctors, Prisoner and Sons and Daughters and the miniseries Bodyline .Nihill was cast in the role for which she became a household face: as bartender and local councilor Chris...
(Blue Heelers
Blue Heelers
Blue Heelers is an Australian police drama series which depicted the lives of police officers stationed at the fictional Mount Thomas police station in a small town in Victoria.- Overview :...
), Maureen Edwards
Maureen Edwards
Maureen Edwards is an Australian actress, who remains best known for her role as Matron Rosemary Prior in the television series A Country Practice....
and Dennis Miller
Dennis Miller (Australian actor)
Dennis Miller is an Australian film and television actor. Miller has acted in television shows including a recurring role on Blue Heelers as Ex-Sergeant Pat Doyle .He was also married to actress Elspeth Ballantyne.- External links :...
(A Country Practice
A Country Practice
A Country Practice is an Australian television drama series. One of the longest-running of its kind, produced by James Davern of JNP Productions, it ran on the Seven Network for 1,058 episodes from 18 November 1981 to 22 November 1993. It was produced in ATN-7's production facility at Epping,...
) and Jason Donovan
Jason Donovan
Jason Donovan is an Australian actor and singer. He initially achieved fame in the Australian soap opera Neighbours, before beginning a career in music in 1988. In the UK he has sold over 3 million records, and his début album Ten Good Reasons was one of the highest-selling albums of 1989...
and Cliff Ellen
Cliff Ellen
Cliff Ellen is an Australian actor who played a prominent guest role on soap opera Neighbours as Charlie Cassidy. His first role was in Homicide. His credits include Crackerjack, Garbo, and Phar Lap...
(Neighbours
Neighbours
Neighbours is an Australian television soap opera first broadcast on the Seven Network on 18 March 1985. It was created by TV executive Reg Watson, who proposed the idea of making a show that focused on realistic stories and portrayed adults and teenagers who talk openly and solve their problems...
).
A large part of supporting and minor roles also featured cameo appearances by cast members of Prisoner
Prisoner (TV series)
Prisoner is an Australian television soap opera which was set in the Wentworth Detention Centre, a fictional women's prison. The series was produced by the Reg Grundy Organisation and ran on Network Ten for 692 episodes from 27 February 1979 to 11 December 1986.The series was inspired by the 1970s...
such as Esme Melville
Esme Melville
Esme Melville was an Australian actress.Her television credits of the 1970s included various guest roles in the Crawford Productions police dramas Homicide, Division 4, Matlock Police and Bluey...
(Beryl Hudson
Prisoner characters - Miscellaneous
A list of miscellaneous characters in the television series Prisoner.Listed in order of appearance:* Eddie Cook , an electrician contracted to do repair work at the prison...
), Peter Curtin
Peter Curtin
Peter Curtin is an Australian television actor. He has been married to Ailsa Piper since 1987.-Filmography:*Winner Take All *Bluey as Blair Thompson /Dave Brown *Skyways as David Kerridge*Blood Money as Dan...
(Ian Mahoney
Prisoner characters - Prison Staff
A list of all prison staff at the Wentworth Detention Centre in the television series Prisoner.Listed in order of appearance:* Erica Davidson , the prison's governor...
), Ian Smith
Ian Smith
Ian Douglas Smith GCLM ID was a politician active in the government of Southern Rhodesia, the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, Rhodesia, Zimbabwe Rhodesia and Zimbabwe from 1948 to 1987, most notably serving as Prime Minister of Rhodesia from 13 April 1964 to 1 June 1979...
(Ted Douglas
Prisoner characters - Prison Staff
A list of all prison staff at the Wentworth Detention Centre in the television series Prisoner.Listed in order of appearance:* Erica Davidson , the prison's governor...
), Christine Amor
Christine Amor
Christine Amor is an Australian actress mostly remembered for her television work.She has acted extensively in television guest roles and in Australian film starting in 1973. Film roles include Alvin Purple , Petersen , Snapshot...
(Jean Vernon
Prisoner characters - Prison Staff
A list of all prison staff at the Wentworth Detention Centre in the television series Prisoner.Listed in order of appearance:* Erica Davidson , the prison's governor...
), Fiona Spence
Fiona Spence
Fiona Spence is a British-born stage and television actress. One of the most recognisable Australian television stars during the early 1980s, she is best known for her roles in the Australian television series Prisoner and Home and Away...
(Vera Bennett
Prisoner characters - Prison Staff
A list of all prison staff at the Wentworth Detention Centre in the television series Prisoner.Listed in order of appearance:* Erica Davidson , the prison's governor...
), Edward Hepple
Edward Hepple
- Stage :He was part of the cast in the first public performance of Kenneth G. Ross's important Australian play Breaker Morant: A Play in Two Acts, presented by the Melbourne Theatre Company at the Athenaeum Theatre, in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, on Thursday, 2 February 1978.- Television...
(Sid Humphrey
Prisoner characters - Prison Staff
A list of all prison staff at the Wentworth Detention Centre in the television series Prisoner.Listed in order of appearance:* Erica Davidson , the prison's governor...
), Sigrid Thornton
Sigrid Thornton
Sigrid Thornton is an Australian multi-award winning actress.-Early years:Thornton was born in Canberra, the daughter of Merle, a teacher of women's studies and writer, and Neil Thornton, an academic. She spent most of her formative years growing up and attending school at St. Peter's Lutheran...
(Roslyn Coulson
Prisoner characters - Inmates
A list of all inmates of Wentworth Detention Centre in the television series Prisoner.Note that episode numbers cited are for first and last appearances; many characters had spells where they were absent and subsequently returned....
), Leila Hayes
Leila Hayes
Leila Hayes is an Australian actress, best known for playing Beryl Palmer in the hit 1980s soap opera Sons and Daughters throughout its entire run.She began her career as a singer...
(Jeannie Baxter
Prisoner characters - Inmates
A list of all inmates of Wentworth Detention Centre in the television series Prisoner.Note that episode numbers cited are for first and last appearances; many characters had spells where they were absent and subsequently returned....
), Sandy Gore
Sandy Gore
Sandy Gore is an Australian actress, renowned for her work in theatre. Was married to Director George Miller and had one daughter. Gore has worked extensively for Sydney Theatre Company and Melbourne Theatre Company...
(Kay White
Prisoner characters - Inmates
A list of all inmates of Wentworth Detention Centre in the television series Prisoner.Note that episode numbers cited are for first and last appearances; many characters had spells where they were absent and subsequently returned....
), Mary Ward
Mary Ward (actress)
Mary Ward is an Australian stage and television actress, who trained in England and is best remembered and well known for her roles in Prisoner as Jeanette "Mum" Brooks and Sons and Daughters as Dee Morrell. In 2000, she also appeared in Blue Heelers...
(Mum Brooks
Prisoner characters - Inmates
A list of all inmates of Wentworth Detention Centre in the television series Prisoner.Note that episode numbers cited are for first and last appearances; many characters had spells where they were absent and subsequently returned....
), Anne Phelan
Anne Phelan
Anne Mary Phelan, OAM , is a much awarded Australian actress, who has appeared prominently in Theatre, Australian television productions and soap operas, including Prisoner where she played the role of 'Top Dog' Myra Desmond and Monica Taylor in Something in the air...
(Myra Desmond
Prisoner characters - Inmates
A list of all inmates of Wentworth Detention Centre in the television series Prisoner.Note that episode numbers cited are for first and last appearances; many characters had spells where they were absent and subsequently returned....
). Future cast members included Billie Hammerberg
Billie Hammerberg
Billie Hammerberg was born Billie Lorraine Hammerberg. She was an Australian actress, best known for her role in the television series Prisoner as May Collins....
(May Collins
Prisoner characters - Inmates
A list of all inmates of Wentworth Detention Centre in the television series Prisoner.Note that episode numbers cited are for first and last appearances; many characters had spells where they were absent and subsequently returned....
) and Pepe Trevor
Pepe Trevor
Penelope "Pepe" Trevor is an Australian actress, journalist and award-winning author who is perhaps best known for her role as young card sharp and trouble-maker Lexie Patterson in Prisoner.-Biography:...
(Lexie Patterson
Prisoner characters - Inmates
A list of all inmates of Wentworth Detention Centre in the television series Prisoner.Note that episode numbers cited are for first and last appearances; many characters had spells where they were absent and subsequently returned....
).
Plot
Based on Alan Marshall's three-part autobiography I Can Jump Puddles (1955), This is the Grass (1962) and In Mine Own Heart (1963), the film tells of Marshall's childhood growing up in rural VictoriaVictoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
during the turn of the century. Contracting polio soon after attending school, the story retells the obstacles he faced as a child in trying to overcome his disability. As an adult, he later encounters prejudice from his debilitating disease while looking for work in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
.
Main characters
- Lewis Fitz-GeraldLewis Fitz-GeraldLewis Fitz-Gerald is an Australian actor and television director who has obtained a Masters degree in Creative Writing, majoring in Communications Studies.- As Actor :* Crownies * Home and Away...
as Alan Marshall - Tony BarryTony BarryTony Barry is an Australian actor who has performed in 55 feature films and 45 television series, across a four-decade career.-Filmography:He is known for his roles in the 2008 film Australia, Return to Snowy River, Never Say Die, the 1988 film Surfer and The Coca-Cola Kid.After acting in...
as Alan's Father - Julie Hamilton as Alan's Mother
- Adam Garnett as Alan (Aged 11)
- Ann Henderson as Mary
- Lesley BakerLesley BakerLesley Baker is an Australian actress, singer, dancer and comedienne.She is best known for her roles as hulking husband basher Monica Ferguson in Prisoner and Angie Rebecchi in Neighbours.-Filmography:...
as Matron - Bruce Kerr as Dr. Robertson
- Brian Hannan as Alec
- Olivia BrownOlivia BrownOlivia Margarette Brown is an American actress.Brown was born in Frankfurt, Germany and raised in Livonia, Michigan, United States. Her family eventually moved to California and she is also a graduate of Santa Monica High School. She played Det. Trudy Joplin on Miami Vice and Vanessa Hargraves on...
as Prostitute Maisie - Clare Binney as Prostitute Filsy
- Earl FrancisEarl FrancisEarl Coleman Francis was an American pitcher in Major League Baseball from 1960 to 1965. He was born in Slab Fork, West Virginia....
as George - Debra LawrenceDebra LawranceDebra Lawrance is an Australian actress best known for her role as Pippa Ross on Home and Away, which she played from 1990 to 1998. She continues to guest star to this date- her last appearance was in 2009.-Biography:...
as Nurse Conrad - Darren MacDonaldDarren MacDonaldDarren McDonald is an Australian news anchor known for his work on Australia's Seven Network and New Zealand's TV3.- News reading :He was one of Australia's youngest news anchors, first presenting at age 17. He went on to read the news on 11am, and then became the first anchor of Sunrise News when...
as Steve
Supporting characters
- Lisa AldenhovenLisa AldenhovenLisa Aldenhoven is an Australian actress.She remains best known for her role in the television soap opera The Young Doctors as Nurse Julie Holland. She appeared in the series from 1978 to 1981....
as Mamie - Christine AmorChristine AmorChristine Amor is an Australian actress mostly remembered for her television work.She has acted extensively in television guest roles and in Australian film starting in 1973. Film roles include Alvin Purple , Petersen , Snapshot...
as Rose - Peter CurtinPeter CurtinPeter Curtin is an Australian television actor. He has been married to Ailsa Piper since 1987.-Filmography:*Winner Take All *Bluey as Blair Thompson /Dave Brown *Skyways as David Kerridge*Blood Money as Dan...
as Flagger - Jason DonovanJason DonovanJason Donovan is an Australian actor and singer. He initially achieved fame in the Australian soap opera Neighbours, before beginning a career in music in 1988. In the UK he has sold over 3 million records, and his début album Ten Good Reasons was one of the highest-selling albums of 1989...
as Freddy - Maureen EdwardsMaureen EdwardsMaureen Edwards is an Australian actress, who remains best known for her role as Matron Rosemary Prior in the television series A Country Practice....
as Mrs. Carmichael - Cliff EllenCliff EllenCliff Ellen is an Australian actor who played a prominent guest role on soap opera Neighbours as Charlie Cassidy. His first role was in Homicide. His credits include Crackerjack, Garbo, and Phar Lap...
as Drunk - Kaarin FairfaxKaarin FairfaxKaarin Fairfax is an Australian actress who played the role of 'Dolour Darcy' in two TV miniseries The Harp in the South and Poor Man's Orange based on books of the same names by Ruth Park. She has also acted in other Australian television series throughout the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s, and...
as Rene - Maurie FieldsMaurie FieldsMaurie Fields was an Australian actor, vaudeville performer and stand-up comedian. He became a well-known face on television thanks to his dramatic roles in Bellbird, The Box, Prisoner and The Flying Doctors...
as Spruiker - Terry GillTerry GillTerry Gill is a British-born actor who carved a nichè in Australian television playing police officers.He was a recurring cast member in the women's prison drama Prisoner as Det. Insp. Jack Grace, a regular cast member as Sgt...
as Arthur - Sandy GoreSandy GoreSandy Gore is an Australian actress, renowned for her work in theatre. Was married to Director George Miller and had one daughter. Gore has worked extensively for Sydney Theatre Company and Melbourne Theatre Company...
as Miss. Claws - Reg GormanReg GormanReg Gorman is an Australian actor and comedian who shot to fame playing the role of Jack the barman in popular Crawfords' soap, The Sullivans. He stayed with the series for its entire six year run.-External links:...
as Arthur - Billie HammerbergBillie HammerbergBillie Hammerberg was born Billie Lorraine Hammerberg. She was an Australian actress, best known for her role in the television series Prisoner as May Collins....
as Mrs. Hale - Leila HayesLeila HayesLeila Hayes is an Australian actress, best known for playing Beryl Palmer in the hit 1980s soap opera Sons and Daughters throughout its entire run.She began her career as a singer...
as Miss. Bryce - Edward HeppleEdward Hepple- Stage :He was part of the cast in the first public performance of Kenneth G. Ross's important Australian play Breaker Morant: A Play in Two Acts, presented by the Melbourne Theatre Company at the Athenaeum Theatre, in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, on Thursday, 2 February 1978.- Television...
as Tom - Matthew King as Urger
- Esme MelvilleEsme MelvilleEsme Melville was an Australian actress.Her television credits of the 1970s included various guest roles in the Crawford Productions police dramas Homicide, Division 4, Matlock Police and Bluey...
as Miss. Forbes - Dennis MillerDennis Miller (Australian actor)Dennis Miller is an Australian film and television actor. Miller has acted in television shows including a recurring role on Blue Heelers as Ex-Sergeant Pat Doyle .He was also married to actress Elspeth Ballantyne.- External links :...
as Gunner - Julie NihillJulie NihillJulie Nihill is an Australian actress.-Biography:After early roles in 1980s soap operas such as The Young Doctors, Prisoner and Sons and Daughters and the miniseries Bodyline .Nihill was cast in the role for which she became a household face: as bartender and local councilor Chris...
as Young woman - Anne PhelanAnne PhelanAnne Mary Phelan, OAM , is a much awarded Australian actress, who has appeared prominently in Theatre, Australian television productions and soap operas, including Prisoner where she played the role of 'Top Dog' Myra Desmond and Monica Taylor in Something in the air...
as Lay preacher - Ian SmithIan SmithIan Douglas Smith GCLM ID was a politician active in the government of Southern Rhodesia, the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, Rhodesia, Zimbabwe Rhodesia and Zimbabwe from 1948 to 1987, most notably serving as Prime Minister of Rhodesia from 13 April 1964 to 1 June 1979...
as Mr. Slade - Fiona SpenceFiona SpenceFiona Spence is a British-born stage and television actress. One of the most recognisable Australian television stars during the early 1980s, she is best known for her roles in the Australian television series Prisoner and Home and Away...
as Mrs. Wilson - Elizabeth Stevenson as Night sister
- Peter Thompson as Businessman
- Sigrid ThorntonSigrid ThorntonSigrid Thornton is an Australian multi-award winning actress.-Early years:Thornton was born in Canberra, the daughter of Merle, a teacher of women's studies and writer, and Neil Thornton, an academic. She spent most of her formative years growing up and attending school at St. Peter's Lutheran...
as Mabel - Pepe TrevorPepe TrevorPenelope "Pepe" Trevor is an Australian actress, journalist and award-winning author who is perhaps best known for her role as young card sharp and trouble-maker Lexie Patterson in Prisoner.-Biography:...
as Pretty girl - Mary WardMary Ward (actress)Mary Ward is an Australian stage and television actress, who trained in England and is best remembered and well known for her roles in Prisoner as Jeanette "Mum" Brooks and Sons and Daughters as Dee Morrell. In 2000, she also appeared in Blue Heelers...
as Mrs. Birdsworth
Reception
The series was first aired on 7 June 1981 and ran for nine episodes. It was shown again two years later before being released on dvdDVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
by Roadshow Home Entertainment in August 2005.
Awards
Adam Garnett, who played the 11-year-old Alan Marshall, won a Logie AwardLogie Award
The TV Week Logie Awards are the Australian television industry awards, which have been presented annually since 1959. Renamed by Graham Kennedy in 1960 after he won the first 'Star Of The Year' award, the name 'Logie' awards honours John Logie Baird, a Scotsman who invented the television as a...
for Best Performance by a Juvenile in 1981.